Luminous electrical discharge device



July 13, 1948. c. H.VAN ORDEN 2,445,012

LUMINOUS ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE DEVICE 7 Filed Oct. 29, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. $4

\ \C CLARENCE H. VAN ORDEN July 13, 1948. b. H.,VAN ORDEN 2,445,012 LUMINOUS ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE when: Filed Oct. 29, 1946 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 6.

- all/Um CLARENCE H. VAN ORDEN" one side face of said section and terminating at a point adjacent the wall of the innermost chan-' nel. The section I2 is likewise providedsw'ith a;

complemental transversely disposed groove 20* adjacent an end of the plurality off longitudinally, extending channels l3 and extending from one side face of said section and' ter-Ininating at1a point adjacent the wall of the innermostbchanr; nel. The grooves l'9 and/.20, when channeled in" ner faces of the sections IO and I2 are, assembled in iace to i face relationship, register with "each otherto'formanopeningJsaid opening constitut ing e; means: for introducing a gas'like a rare gas,"into. said passagewaysi The inner" faces of the respectiveiseotionsas thusassembled are not oniy secured together at' their ends "and along their longitudinal side'edges tofo'rrn aleialr-proof unitary structure, but also as'clearly illustrated in FigiIreQ," are -secured together in' t-heir'lohg'i tudinal refgions'oicontact.between the gas-receiving-pas'sageways l 4 'to" thereby isolate s'aid' pas sageways transversely .from each other and prevent "diffusion of gas :therebetween. This may be done by means of cement orby fusion, and as shown in Eigure 2, thesections'are secured together by means ofia 'cement 2L It is to be noted, that the sections may be cast'and, made. of plain transparentdielectric material or madeiof such; material wash: has been colored; The p'ortion of theasse'mbled sections defined: by. the gas receiving passageways constitute whatis'herein I after termed a closed gas chamber. "The',.passa ge-' ways in such closed gas chamber, are for the electricaldischarge itherethrough, "such discharge takinga" course which changes at"frequent inter-1 vals, causing changing luminous linesnto appear inane device 1 Theluminous device'may'beformedot a jplu- 1 ralit'yoifsectional unitsflTigure 3, ea-ch unit'being' formed of a pair. of channeled longitudinally extending section's. as above described in connection withjFiguresl s ag but "so shaped that when assembled in endto end relation they "form a" cle I viceprovidins a closed gas, .chamberhavi m cus passagewa exte ng nluraljit jfoffto v git rdinally*therethrough. '.M'ounted oneach; of the.ends ofthe device .are lleclllfldesfn and1Z3'I which are adapted to be. connected by means i of WiIYQSLZ and 25" toa suitable high voltage: sc'iu'rce of electrical ener y] V I n Figure 4 there is shown alluniinousj device of thepresentv invention wherein the device emibodies a pair of unitsarranged in tandem relatiomj each unit being formedof apalrfli complemental longitudinal {sections of, transparent {dielectric .1 material. arranged in "face. to. race. relationship, the-contiguousffaces of th'e sections .beingprovidecl along an 'intermediateportion of their length" with the longitudinally extendin channels registering with each other' t'ofgiforma clhsdggasj chamber; having a} plurality ofihollowgas. receiv I ingpassageways extending therealongflbut with, theopposite ends of eachlsecti'on beingjt, nedg inj wardlyat right-angleswithrspect 'toi thefchan-i'f neled-portionsthereo In=this-device"the nfean's 4 for introducing the gas into the passageways for each unit 26 and 21 takes the form of an opening 28 extending from one side of one of the right angled ends of the respective units into a cut out portion 29 forming a space which is in communication with the complemental ends of the longitudinally extending passageways 30. The electrodes. carried by the abutting .rightangled ends of "the tandem :arrangediu'nits are connected toget herwitha wire 3 I. The other right angled end f..'.the unit 26 carries an electrode 33 which is "adapted to be connected by means of a wire 34, fitoahighivoltage source of electrical energy. The other right angled end of the unit 21, not shown, m likewise,carries an electrode and wire for connection to the source of electrical energy. :AsashnwnzineF-ignre. 5, the closed gas chamber ,.of the luminous device comprises a plurality of "longitudinally extending, passageways arranged in juxtaposed relation, each of thepassageways being forme'd of a pain of don-gitudinal' sections of transparent dielectric material-secured to-- gether inf-ace-toface relationship, the contiguous faces of eat ofsa-id sections being provided-with 52 a single longitudinally extending *channel in reg"- istr-y With eachotherto form*a--s;lngle hollow passageway: -Inthis-figura the elose'dgas cham-' ber *inclndes passageways 36,- 31, 38, -39,{ 40, 41, and 42, arranged in juxtaposed r'elatiomeach of suelrpassageways being of- 'a different shape and of a diiferent cross sectionalj area In "Figure n; th'e closed gas chamber er the luminous device-comprises a longitudinal section 40 or of thei s'hapes shown in cl otted' linesand having an"in n er faceprov-ided with a-plurality of" longitudin-ally-extendingchannels 46 *of like-shape an d' size as' that-(if those of' the channels '44 "ofthe section 43. The section's ls and --wh'en assem- 41-3- bled in such manner 'that the channeled face "of 5o tending passageways 'therein of sectional area and shape.

Reverting to Figure 7, the clo'sed gas chamber of-ilthe luminous electrical discharge device is formed -by securingtogether two longitudinal 3 sections 4'! and 48 of ti ansparent dielectric mater-ial inrace; to face relationship, The inner face of section 4''! ---is provided; intermediate" its -"central portion, with a oounter'sinkJs, sai'd" counter sink having a pluralityi of "longitudinally extendtion 48 com seotion fl is tersink-imi-a there i is Ffor-med =al=clesed gas -chamber having a plurality 0f? longitudinally" extndin ways therein. 4

vIniF-igure *8, (the closed Lgas ichamber of the lag-an inn-er face provided with-a=plurality or longitudinally extending channels 44' ofthe same 5 shape and -s'ize intermediate} its opposite en'ds thereof, and a cemplement'al longitudinal section 4 5 ot the shape of 'eith'er that shownin *full lines i ing *chan-nelsi' -5fl thereini The inner face of secrfd supported therein. Whenthe flat inner f-ace of nse'ction lfl is in registry withinthe countersink' dll of the inner face of section- 41 I g passage- #luaninou-s' device is formed by securing together two longitudinal sections fl and-5| of transparenfi dielectric""materiah in race to face j relationship, but ih this" form the inner face O f the. section f 7 s50 ism-1v providedwit'h l a pluralitypf longitudi I "nally extending channels 52;"wliile the come plemental innerface of -the' section it When the respective inner-l'faces 'ofthe sections 50 "andizili are "assembled. abutting relation there is fonned a closed gas chamber having a plurality of longitudinally extending passagewaysth 'erein. i

As for Figures 9 and 10, such figuresshow a form of theyluminous electrical discharge device wherein the closed gas chamber 53 is of circular shape' and interiorly thereof a re a pluralityof trical discharge device in which the closed gas chamber 56 is of the same structure as that of Figures 9 and 10, but having the device mounted in a suspended support 51 of a configuration shown in such figure.

As for Figures 1 2, 13 and 14, the closed gas chamber of the luminous device includes only a single longitudinally extending passageway. In Figure 12, the closed gas chamber is formed by securing together two longitudinal sections 58 and 59 of transparent dielectric material in face to face relationship. The inner face of section 58 is provided with a single longitudinally extending channel 50. The complemental inner face of section 59 is likewise provided with a single longitudinally extending channel BI. The sections 58 and 59 when assembled in such manner that the channeled face of section 58 is in registry with the complemental channeled face of section 59 and secured together there is formed a closed gas chamber having a single longitudinally extending passageway therein. In Figure 13, the closed gas chamber of the luminous electrical discharge device is formed by securing together two longitudinal sections 52 and 63 of transparent dielectric material in face to face relationship. The inner face of section 62 is provided intermediate its central portion with a countersink 64, said countersink having a single longitudinally extending channel 65 therein. The inner face of section 63 complemental to the channeled face of section 62 is fiat and is received within the countersink 64 and supported therein. When the flat inner face of section 63 is in registry within the countersink 54 of the inner face of section 63 there is formed a closed gas chamber having a single longitudinally extending passageway therein. In Figure 14, the closed gas chamber of the luminous device is formed by securing together two longitudinal sections 56 and 61 of transparent dielectric material in face to face relationship, but in this form the inner face of section 66 is only provided with a single longitudinally extending channel 68, while the complemental inner face of the section 61 is flat. When the respective inner faces of the sections 66 and 61 are assembled in abutting relation there is formed a closed gas chamber having a single longitudinally extending passageway therein.

It will be understood that in the forms of the luminous device wherein the closed gas chamber includes a single longitudinally extending passageway, the application of the electrical potential thereto causes a constant glow of the single column of gas confined therein whereas in the forms of the luminous device which include a umns. of. gasconiined in the 1 respective .pa ssage.-=

6-? k closed gas-v chamber? having a plurality: of! lon'gi-i tudinally. extending passageways the application ofthe'electrical potential-thereto causes. aninter-m mittentaand sequential glow of th several'gcol Al luminous electrical discharge device.

ing at le parent""di-electric jrrfaterial secured together in face to-jfacerelationship, the inner face of Tatleast -one of said'sections being provided with acliannel adjacent each end and' being pro-' videdalongan -interrnediate portion of its lengthwith at least two longitudinally-extending chan-:'

versely of the gas chamber, and an electrode mounted in each of said end channels for apply ing an electrical potential to said device.

2. A luminous electrical discharge device having a closed low-pressure gas chamber comprising at least two longitudinal sections of transparent di-electric material secured together in face-to-face relationship, the inner face of at least one of said sections being provided with a channel adjacent each end and being provided along an intermediate portion of its length with at least two longitudinally-extending channels communicating at their ends with said end channels and defining in cooperation with the inner face of another section at least two gasreceiving passageways, the inner faces of said sections being sealed together in their longitudinal regions of contact between said passage- .ways to isolate said passageways from each other and prevent the diffusion of gas therebetween transversely of the gas chamber, means on said chamber for introducing a gas into said passageways, and an electrode mounted in each of said end channels for applying an electrical potential to said device.

3. A luminous electrical discharge device having a closed low-pressure gas chamber comprising a pair of complemental longitudinal sections of transparent di-electric material secured together in face-to-face relationship, the inner face of at least one of said sections being provided with a channel adjacent each end, the contiguous faces of said sections being provided along an intermediate portion of their length with at least two longitudinally-extending channels communicatingv at their ends with said end channels and registering with each other to form at least two hollow gas-receiving passageways, the contiguous faces of said sections being sealed together in their longitudinal regions of contact between said passageways to isolate said passageways from each other and prevent diffusion of gas therebetween transversely of the gas chamber, and an electrode mounted in each'of said end channels for applying an electrical potential to said device.

4. A luminous electrical discharge device having a closed low-pressure chamber comprising a pair of complemental longitudinal sections of transparent di-electric material secured together in face-to-face relationship, the inner face of ed'lbweiiressu e gas chamber compris two longitudinal sections of 'tran'sl at.11east:one:.df.--.sa'rd sectionsibeinmmiovidedtmifim axchannehadjacent-xeach endijthe -contig-ueus faces of:\ sa,id :sections being zpi'oy ided alongtmfi'imiel mediate 'portmn of their length with at least' two' longitudinally-extendingchannelsicommuni-' 5 of said end: channels 1 for; applyinman wleetriclle' potential "to said device.

CLARENCE :V'AN oRmm. f

REFERENCES CITED The fellowing references are of reetnzdiin212k:

fileeof 1 this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name ,Date=;.

" 1,825,399 'Hotchner Sept-29,2193; 1,843,148 ,Bastow I -.E'eb-.':2, .1932: 1,961,735 :Braun .:.Iune15,,1934 2,008,782 Brady e .J,u 1y 23, @1935 5 2,216,220 Baker .Oct.-;1,=,1,940

Marden -Sept. 9,1941 

